Display ban has little effect in Finland

The Finnish Grocery Trade Association believes that the recent falls in the domestic consumption of cigarettes and cigars are not down to the introduction of retail display bans in the country, according to an Esmerk Finnish News story.

Rather, it believes the falls are merely part of a long-term downward trend in tobacco use.

And the Finnish retail chain S Group agrees up to a point.

It has said that the introduction of display bans in the country has not affected the level of cigarette sales but has reduced cigar sales.

It believes that cigar sales have been affected because they are often the result of impulse purchases, and because consumers want to look at these products before buying them.